While having a professional arborist in to prune your trees and keep them from growing too thick is advised, at some point in your trees life, you may actually notice the opposite and the canopy has totally thinned out to an unnatural state (just like a human going bald!).
If this happens in a time of year when your tree should be in full growth like the spring or summer months,
this could point to your tree being; less than healthy, battling an infestation, responding to an unexpected weather change or reacting to soil issues.
Three Reasons Your Trees Canopy Could Be Thinning
If your tree is showing bald spots at an unusual time of year, here are three things to consider.
- Extreme weather stress; Maybe you have just experienced a brutally hard winter or the cold weather has continued? The sparseness of the trees canopy could be due to the shock factor of this unusually cold weather and new leaf growth may be finding it hard to recover.
- Infestation of Borer insects; Tree Borers lay their eggs on or inside of trees and when the young larvae start to sprout, they eat their way through bark and branches which can weaken them and eventually make them fall. If you have a large infestation, this can leave huge bare spots in your trees canopy.
- Cramped or compacted soil at its base. If the soil surrounding your tree is packed in too tightly, this can prevent the tree from growing and leave it weakened.
Tips to Treat Canopy Thinning
If you notice your tree thinning unnaturally, talk to your local arborist in Brisbane to inspect your tree and offer specific advice. A professional tree lopper will be able to pinpoint borer insect holes if they are there and also asses the overall health of your tree.
A healthy tree is less likely to show signs of canopy thinning and would be able to stand up to adverse weather conditions. Make sure you look after your trees year round, to give them the strength to fight off infestations and extreme weather conditions.
Keep your tree watered during dry periods and add in a 2-4 inch layer of mulch to the trees base. Always keep an eye on your trees for signs of disease like; yellow or brown leaves, powdery mildew, excessive peeling bark and funguses.
